Rotary refrigerated locker system



June 1o, 1941. w. J. RUTTAN 2,245,300

ROTARY REFRIGERATED L'OCKER SYSTEMA Filed Jan. 7, 1941 21254/ v 56 f ff i mma/alma,

- ATYORNEYS Patented @June l0, 1941 ROTARY REFRIGERATED LOCKER SYSTEM William J. Rattan, Hawarden, Iowa Application January 7, 1941, Serial No. 373,508 `v` ff o 4 Claims.

` This invention relates to a rotary refrigerated locker system.

In conventional refrigerated locker systems, patrons must enter the refrigerated room containing the lockers in which their food products are stored. 'Ihe temperatures of this refrigerated room range from zero to above zero. When entering and leaving the room, patrons must pass through a full sized door which admits warm air into the locker room. In the case of an average two hundred unit plant, the door would be opened four hundred times if each patron called once. This results in a large loss of the cool air, which must be constantly replaced. and also is dangerous to thehealth of the patrons who must.

venture from warm temperature into these low temperatures.

With the above in mind, an object of the present invention is to provide a warm roomwhlch the patron enters and leaves, and which contains a rotary series of lockers adapted to be selectively brought into registration with a single door in the insulated refrigerated space containing the rotary lockers, through which door the patron may gain access to his food products or other products without appreciabLv lowering the tem.- perature of the refrigerated storage space containing the lockers or exposing himself to dangerous low temperatures.

A further object is to' provide the lockers,

which may be in the form of conventional file j case drawers with identifying characters which are visible through a sight glass in the service door so that the patron may quickly bring his locker into position for access when the door is opened.

A further object is to provide a safety catch which will be operated when the service door is opened to prevent the turntable which supports the locker drawers from turning, the catch being automatically released upon closing of the service door.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this type which may be so constructed that the operating crank assembly, together with the pinion and bearings therefor may be removed from outside of the refrigerated storage space.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter funy described end claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to A within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit'or sacrlclng any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a rotary refrigerated locker system constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the service door open and one of the lockers partly withdrawn for access. Y

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail 'cross sectional view showing the safety catch in operative position.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view showing the operating crank, turntable,- pinion, and bearing for the crank. l

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectionalview similar to Figure 4, but showing the operating shaft motor driven instead of crank operated.

Figure I is a detail sectional view showing the sliding connection oi' each locker with the respective turntable.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the variousviews, the locker refrigerator comprises a basey I0 from which rises a hollow post il. AA cylindrical insulated wall I2 is disposed concentric with the post and a circular insulated top wall I3 and a circular insulated -bottom wall I4 forms the refrigerated space. I'he circular refrigerated space or room is shown as being supported upon a concrete oor l5 and ln the present embodiment is shown as being refrigerated by' a conventional coil I8, which is disposed at the toppf the wall I2 concentric with the post Il, the refrigerant pipes Il being conducted through the post outside of the refrigerated space to any suitable unit. Other refrigerating means may be employed.

A plurality of angle brackets Il are supported at intervals upon bars 9 which extend vertically upon the inner face of the insulated cylindrical wall l2. The brackets are equipped on the upper sides with respective rollers I9 which coact in formingl circular superposed tracks for supporting turntables 20 arranged in superposed relation.

Each turntable is in the form of an annulus having a central upstanding flange 2| connected by radial braces 22 to a hub 23 which is rotatably secured to the post Il. Each turntable is provided on the lower face with an annular ange 24 concentric with the post. and which abuts the rollers I9. Outside of the flange 24, each turntable is provided with a circular gear or rack 25, which is concentric with the post and provides means for rotating the turntable.

A plurality of radially slidable compartments or lockers 26 are mounted on each turntable and are nested in an annuluar series around the turntable, as best shown in Figure 1. In the present embodiment, each locker is shown as equipped on the bottom with rollers 21, as'bestshown in Figure '1, which are received in tracks 28 dis' posed on the respective turntable 20 to permit the locker to be easily slid into and out of the refrigerated compartment through a service door opening 29, formed in the cylindrical wall I2 at a point which will be of convenient access to the patron standing outside of. the apparatus in a room at normal temperature.

The door opening 29 is closed by an insulated door 30, which is hinged as shown at 3|, on one side of the door opening and is provided with a latch 32 which is received in a keeper 33 on the other side of the door opening. A sight glass 34 is secured to the door through which the patron may identify his locker through the medium of a suitable identifying character displayed on the front Wall of the locker.

For rotating each turntable, an operating shaft 34, best shown in Figure 4, is rotatably mounted in a bearing 35 which extends through the insulated cylindrical wall I2 and is removably secured to the wall through the medium of a flange 36 which abuts an external flange 31 on the wall and is secured to the latter by screws 38. In one form of the invention the outer end of the shaft is equipped 39, and in another form of the invention the outer end of the shaft is equipped with a motor 40. In both forms of the invention the inner end of the shaft is equipped with a pinion which engages the teeth of the turntable rack 25. 'I'he shaft may be rotated to turn the turntable until the desired locker arrives into registration with the door opening 29 whereuppn the door may be opened to gain access to the locker.

For locking the turntable against rotation until the service door 30 is opened, a catch bolt l2, best shown in Figure 3, is slidably mounted in a housing 43 in the Wall I2. One end of the bolt is releasably engageable in a socket 4l formed in the outer peripheral end of the turntable 20. 'I'he other end of the bolt is adapted to engage and ride upon a cani l formed integral with the door hinge 3i when the door is opened to force the bolt inwardly to be received in the socket 44 of the turntable. A helical spring 46 is sleeved on the bolt within the housing I3 and bears against a collar 4T Von the bolt to withdraw the bolt l2 as soon as the bolt rides off of the cam I5 when the service door 3|! is closed.

In operation, the patron turns the crank shaft 34 to bring his locker 28 into view through the side opening 34 of the service door 30. Thereupon the service door is opened to permit the locker to be slid outwardly for easy access through with a crank handle the door opening 2B. At the same time the service door is opened the bolt 42 will be inserted in the socket Il adjacent the locker 2l, to prevent rotation of the turntable while the contents of the locker are being replenished or removed.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. Alocker refrigerator comprising a base, a post mounted thereon, a cylindrical insulated wall disposed concentric with the post, insulated top and bottom walls connected with the cylindrical wall and forming a refrigeration room, circular tracks mounted at vertically spaced intervals adjacent to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, turntables supported on the post and tracks for rotation on the post as an axis, a plurality of radially slidable lockers supported upon the turntables, a service door in said cylindrical wall opposite each turntable through which the lockers of the respective turntable may be selectively slidk to facilitate removal of the contents, means for locking the turntables stationary actuated by opening of the doors, and means for rotating the turntables to position said lockers at said doors, and means for refrigerating the room.

2. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the first named means comprises a spring pressed latch bolt engaging a cam integral with the hinge of the door and receivable in a socket in the respective turntable.

3. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the second named means comprises a rack on the turntable, a rotatable shaft projecting through said cylindrical wall, means on the outer end of the shaft for rotating the shaft, and a pinion on the inner end of the shaft engaging the rack.

4. A locker refrigerator comprising a base, a post mounted thereon, a reirigeratlng room having va cylindrical wall .concentric with the post, means for cooling the inclosed space of the room to a desired low temperature, circular tracks mounted at vertically spaced intervals adjacent to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, turntables supported upon rollers on the tracks and rotatable therearound, there being large central apertures in the turntables, radially disposed braces connecting the turntables rotatably with the post, a plurality of radially slidable lockers supported on the turntable, and a hinged door at the cylindrical wall opposite each turntable through which the lockers may be selectively slid to facilitate removal of their contents, a sight window in each door for promoting a locker being identified by a patron as the turntable is rotated, rack teeth on each turntable,` shaft bearings projecting through the cylindrical wall near each door removably secured in place on the exterior of the wall, a shaft in each bearing, means on the outer end of the shaft for rotating the shaft, and a pinion on the inner end of the shaft engaging the rack of a respective turntable.

WILLIAM J RU'I'I'AN. 

